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WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Dec. 31, 2012) – Vanuatu’s Prime Minister Sato Kilman has authorized the release of the controversial super yacht Phocea amid a claim worth more than a million US dollars.

In his letter to the yacht’s owner, the Prime Minister says after his consultation with the relevant authorities, he is satisfied that the state has no legal basis to continue to detain the MV Phocea.

Meanwhile, a lawyer, Les John Napuati, says it is not correct to say that there is no longer any legal basis to detain the yacht as his claim against the Phocea is still in court.

Mr. Napuati is suing the yacht, its owner Pascal Ahn Saken and the vessel’s agent in Vanuatu for producing an allegedly forged document with his signature on it.

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, Dec. 31, 2012) – Key Fiji political parties in a joint statement today have unanimously endorsed the proposed Draft 2012 Constitution which is expected to be made available online for public viewing.

In a statement undersigned by Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua executive Ratu Jone Kubuabola, Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhary and United People’s Party leader Mick Beddoes, the parties said the draft Constitution and supporting documents were satisfactory in that it fairly reflected the people’s views and submissions.

While there may be some areas of concern on a small number of issues, on balance the party leaders felt it was a constitution they could work with and address issues of significant concern to the people of Fiji.

The leaders particularly commended the extensive and comprehensive Bill of Rights section which "protects the individual freedoms and rights...

PORT VILA, Vanuatu (Vanuatu Daily Post, Dec. 31, 2012) – In Vanuatu, Chief Justice Vincent Lunabek has decided the conference for the Election Dispute in Port Vila Constituency by former Attorney General Ishmael Kalsakau against the Electoral Office and the Leader of Opposition and five Port Vila Parliamentarians will take place in March.

Mr. Kalsakau alleges there were election irregularities in Port Vila when the Nation went to the polls in October 30 this year.

The former head of the State Law Office is accusing the MPs of bribing the voters to using string band music to boost their popularity even though the amended Representation of the Peoples Act required the Port Vila 2012 candidates to stop "treating" their electorate on September 2.

The Electoral Roll of the Constituency of Port Vila which is 34,998 is exaggerated and on Election Day some voters had to be turned away at the...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Dec. 31, 2012) – Investigators in French Polynesia have released a leading New Caledonian businessman, Bill Ravel, after holding him in Tahiti’s Nuutania jail for nearly two months.

According to La Depeche de Tahiti, Mr. Ravel remains charged with corruption over his alleged payments to the secretary general of the confederation of independent unions, Cyril Legayic.

Mr. Ravel is alleged to have paid him US$160,000 in cash over four years to contain strikes at his companies in Papeete.

One of Mr. Ravel’s associates, Gaston Tetuanui, as well as Mr. Legayic are about to enter a third month in custody.

The owner of a leading supermarket, Louis Wane, was also charged with corruption this month.

He is accused of having paid Mr. Legayic money for similar reasons although Mr. Legayic has reportedly claimed that the money was a loan...

Mr. Basil said there was a tendency for mining companies to lure policemen when there were issues within the mining sites, leaving normal policing work to fewer officers who did not have the resources to do their job effectively.

When appreciating Morobe Mining Joint Venture’s (MMJV) effort in training new police reservists for its company, he urged mining companies to make sure they had their security operation in place before they begun operations.

"When a mining company wants to set up a project, it must first set up a police establishment...

HAGÃ TÃA, GUAM (Marianas Business Journal, Dec. 31, 2012) – For small islands in the Pacific, the availability of air and shipping service defines economic opportunities. And, generally speaking, the arrival of a new entrant into these relatively small markets scattered across vast stretches of ocean is a rare development.

So it was not surprising that the local business community was delighted when Mariana Express Lines celebrated its maiden voyage to the Marshall Islands on Dec. 9, and Nauru's Our Airline launched its first regularly scheduled weekly air service to Majuro on Dec. 10.

"We have so much to be thankful for," said Carlos Domnick, CEO of DAR Enterprises and chairman of the government-appointed Aviation Task Force. These developments are "good for our private sector."

MELL, a Singapore-based shipping line that is part of Luen Thai Enterprises, sister company to...

SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, Dec. 31, 2012) – The College of the Marshall Islands (CMI) must cut costs by freezing hiring and salary increases, and halting expansion of new programs that cannot pay for themselves, said a report issued by the college and released Friday.

But even this may not be enough to put the college on a sustainable financial path for the future, the internal financial review suggests.

Still, the College of the Marshall Islands is better off than it was in recent years, the report indicated.

"Although we continue face cash flow issues, financially speaking, we are in a better position than we were two years ago," said the CMI Financial Analysis that tracked historical trends and looks forward. "The big difference here that boosts confidence in the college’s financial health can be related to the level of expenditure controls, increased revenue in the...

HAGÃ TÃA, Guam (Pacific Daily News, Jan. 1, 2013) – A watered-down version of Adelup's spending cuts bill has been allowed to lapse into law, but Guam Gov. Eddie Calvo said the government is still approaching its own fiscal cliff.

The new law slashes the salaries of government of Guam unclassified and elected employees, but it doesn't make the deeper cuts originally proposed by the governor. GovGuam's unbalanced financials need severe treatment, and this law falls far short, Calvo said.

"While Public Law 31-279 significantly impacts the livelihood of many employees, its complete impact measured against what is needed to be done is wholly insignificant," Calvo wrote in a letter to the Legislature. "If I may, it is like Neosporin for the gangrene."

Calvo did not sign the bill but he didn't veto it either. Instead, after about two weeks sitting idle, the bill...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Dec. 31, 2012) – The New Zealand government is yet to decide if it will send nurses and doctors to Samoa to help in the aftermath of cyclone Evan.

Last week, the Samoa Ministry of Health said it had requested the personnel because its staff was worn out coping with the demand from people affected by the storm.

The Ministry’s chief executive, Palanitina Toelupe, says health workers have been dealing with an influx of patients with infected wounds and respiratory complaints while significant concerns remain about the dangers of typhoid and food-borne disease.

She says with the limited resources, the Samoan health authorities cannot be certain they have reached everyone needing help around Upolu.

A New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirms it has received a request from the Samoan Ministry of Health.

Pacific Islands Report is a nonprofit news publication of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Offered as a free service to readers, PIR provides an edited digest of news, commentary and analysis from across the Pacific Islands region, Monday - Friday.